Recently, I got D800 as a replacement to my Olympus 43 and m43 gear. Friend also switched since we're doing weddings together (from 5D2).

We got D800 and plan to get D600 as a second body, but I'm quite disapointed in D800 regarding few things.

True, resolution in good light is really good and as a landscape camera it's great.

However, first I noticed problems taking portraits.

First, AF in lower light is hard to rely on as it has tendency to miss on different distances.

Second, it's hard to get sharp images with 85mm 1.8G with shutter speeds under 1/160s.

Going by old shutter speed rules, it would be sufficient to have 1/80-1/100s, but of course due to higher resolution, D800 is much more sensitive to shake or subject movement.

This, along with very shallow DoF sometimes means I have to use high ISO often to get sufficient shutter speed and DoF.

While D800's high ISO is quite good, it decreases it's quality and nullifies it's resolution advantage.

In comparison, I used to have Olympus OMD with 45mm 1.8 lens and in lower light if subject posed I could easily use f1.8 and 1/30-1/40s or lower to get sharp results, but with D800, I have to use 1/160s and probably f2.8 to tame DoF and remove excessive CA in OOF areas.

This means I have to use at least 2-3x stops higher ISO at which point D800 gives worse image quality than the OMD at much higher price and size.

If subject is blurry, all those pixels won't do much good. Resizing won't help either.

Is it true that D800 only makes sense for landscape photographers and those who use it mostly in either good light or on a tripood?

Also, sometimes the card write light stays lit and I can't preview the image until it stops (which can take a 30s or more), despite very fast CF card in the camera.

I have no idea what to do to fix this issue, except selling it off...

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Cheers, Marin

You do realise that having to shoot with a higher shutter speed is something you have to decide? What I mean is, that print for print, same size, there is no difference having 12MP to 36MP> even if at 100% there is slight blur in the 36MP version and at 100% the 12MP looks sharp, both printed they will look the EXACT same. 36mp allows you to extract MORE detail for bigger prints, it gives you the chance, it ENABLES you to capture more detail that no matter how hard you try you would not get from the 12mp generation, but you don't have to double or triple your shutter speed - but you have the option. If you can understand that fact, that's good. If you feel the AF is jittery, send it for service as this should not be the case. The thing here is, you think that shooting at 1/30 with your 45mm lens gave you great results. Yeh, maybe, but only because the resolution was low. If you had a higher sensor behind that lens, you'd notice the flaws in the image. But when you print these ones you think are sharp 8 by 10 I bet they look alright. Exactly the point, the D800 shot at 1/30 second with the same lens MAY have slight blur at pixel level, but printed it will look the same. If you know how to use light, available or flash you can extract much more detail. Why buy a D800 if you aren't wanting to get more detail? I don't understand?

Have you heard of medium format? You cannot take your crummy technique and blame the camera, sorry, but it's the truth.

Don't disagree at all with what you said...all quite true!

But I think the OPs main issue is he was used to the EM5 which has in-body IS on every lens and then moved to a camera/lens that does not. The IBIS may have been masking bad technique which is biting them now.

So, yes, assuming you are taking images of static subjects, the EM5 may have been the right camera for the job if you didn't need the very thin DOF of the 85 1.8.